Henry Miller's Commandments

• Work on one thing at a time until finished.
• Start no more new books, add no more new material to “Black Spring.”
• Don’t be nervous. Work calmly, joyously, recklessly on whatever is at hand.
• Work according to Program and not according to mood. Stop at the appointed time!
• When you can’t create you can work.
• Cement a little every day, rather than add new fertilizers.
• Keep human! See people, go places, drink if you feel like it.
• Don’t be a draught-horse. Work with pleasure only.
• Discard the Program when you feel like it––but go back to it next day. Concentrate. Narrow down. Exclude.
• Forget the books you want to write. Think only of the book you are writing.
• Write first and always. Painting, music, friends, cinema, all these come afterwards.
• [from Henry Miller on Writing]